Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has expressed shock at attempts by some politicians to suppress the sexual abuse allegations involving the headteacher of Obuasi Secondary Technical School (SHTS), warning that political leaders who interfere in the case will face serious consequences.
He condemned what he described as the disturbing attitude of some politicians towards the allegations, revealing that some individuals had even attempted to support the suspect to contest for a leadership position in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC)Â despite the controversy.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, during a statement on the need for a National Sex Offenders Register, Bagbin said the handling of the Obuasi SHTS case exposes Ghana’s failure to translate its commitments to protecting children into meaningful action.
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“What saddened me was the attitude of politicians. They treated it as if nothing happened. And people even dared to try to support the suspect to contest for a leadership position. That is how offensive it has gone,” he said.
The Speaker insisted that sexual abuse involving children must not be treated as a minor offence that can be resolved through informal settlements or political intervention.
He criticised attempts to settle such cases outside the courts, arguing that the offences involved are serious criminal matters requiring the full application of the law.
“We seem to have treated the offences in this matter like what the lawyers refer to as de minimis criminis. They are so minor, they are not important, they are negligible, that the law should not take its course,” Bagbin observed.
Such attitudes, he said, have emboldened individuals to intervene in cases that should instead be subjected to proper legal processes.
The Speaker acknowledged the importance of establishing a National Sex Offenders Register but maintained that the proposed register alone would not adequately address the problem without stronger legislation and effective punishment for offenders.
Consequently, he directed the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, and the Minister for Gender and Children, in collaboration with the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, to review Ghana’s existing legislation on children’s rights.
He assured that Parliament’s Legislative Drafting Department would assist in preparing the necessary proposals for the Attorney-General’s consideration.
According to the Speaker, the objective is to revise and strengthen existing laws to provide better protection for children and ensure that perpetrators of sexual abuse face sufficiently deterrent sanctions.
“This is a directive that I believe should find expression and be passed in the course of next year,” he said, adding that he would follow up on the process to ensure the proposed reforms are implemented.
Bagbin lamented the gap between Ghana’s international commitments to children’s rights and the country’s actual performance in protecting vulnerable children.
Ghana, he said, was among the first countries to sign the relevant international treaty in 1990 and subsequently passed the Children’s Act in 1998, alongside constitutional provisions under Article 28 of the 1992 Constitution.
Despite these measures, he said the country continues to fall short in protecting children from abuse.
The Speaker reminded Ghanaians that a child is legally defined as anyone below the age of 18 and urged institutions and individuals to take their protection seriously.
He warned political leaders against trivialising the Obuasi case, insisting that leadership comes with responsibility and that those who attempt to interfere with the pursuit of justice would be held accountable.
“Those involved, particularly the political leaders, if you joke with it, we will punish you seriously because of this single case,” he cautioned.
He stressed that the protection of vulnerable children must be treated as a national priority, arguing that Ghana cannot achieve meaningful development without upholding values such as integrity, honesty and accountability.